Flue-cleaner



W. NECHVILLE.

FLUE CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, 1920.

Patented Sept. 27,1921.

Mn w My 8 WITNESSES A TTORNEYS PATENT OFFICE.

WENCIL' NECHVILLE, OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

ELITE-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent}. Patented Sept. 27, 1921 Applicationfiled Marches, 1920. Serial No. 368,924.

1 '0 (iii whom it may concern:

Be'it known that I, lVnNoIL NEOHVILLE', a citizen of the United States,and a resident ofCedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State of Iowa,have invented a new and Improved Flue-Cleaner, of which the followingiis'a full, clear, and exact description.

Mypresent invention aims to provide a simple and efiicient flue cleanerwhich shall operate in such a manner as to automatically conform tovarying widths of flues so that upon a cleaner embodying my improvedconstruction being moved through the flue the latter will be efiicientlycleaned.

A further object of my invention is the construction of a device of thecharacter stated in which those portionsof the device subject to wearmay readily be renewed or substituted if this is desired.-

Further objects ofmy invention will appear in the annexed specificationtaken in connection with the drawings which latter illustrate onepractical embodiment of my invention, and in which;

Figure 1 is a side view of a flue cleaner embodying my improvedconstruction and showing the parts of the same in their normal or closedposition.

Fig. 2 is a face view thereof, and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the position which theparts assume when the device is being used.

To move the cleaner through the flue I may employ any suitable meanspermitting of the attachment of a cable or a rod therevto, but in theembodiment illustrated a handle 5 is shown by means of which a cable maybe associated therewith, it being noted that this handle includes abowed piece of material between the ends of which a pin 6 extends.

The pin 6 also forms a pivot for the arms 7 the upper ends of which areattached thereto. It is to be noted that these arms are preferablybowedadjacent thelr points of attachment to each other so that the majorportions of their bodies are well spaced, and further I preferably turnthe side edges of each of these arms inwardly to provide flanges 8whereby a greater rigidity is imparted thereto.

Now with a view of providing means which will serveto swing the freeends of the arms away from each other it will be noted in Fig. 1 that apair of links are preferably employed, which links have their outer endssecured one'to each of the inner faces ofthe arms 7 as at 10, a loop 11encirclingthe inner ends of these links where= by to movably secure themone to the other thusxforming a toggle. F urther' a spring 12 has one ofits ends secured to the loop member 11" and its opposite end mayconveniently engage the pin 6. Thus due to the fact that the arms 7 arespaced the links 9* must necessarily. diverge with respect to eachother, so that the spring 12 will be constantly exerting a tendency tostraighten the toggle formed by the links 9, and consequentl as inf ig.3 at all times exists.

To' now provide means adapted to exert as'crapin'g'or cleaning action itwill be seen inthe' embodiment illustrated that I have shown cleaningmembers in the nature of combs includingteeth 13. These combs'areprovided with reduced body portions which are of such a width as to becapable of overlying and snugly fitting the ends of the arms 7 when inapplied position. To retain these contact members in this position Iutilize spring strips 15, the upper ends of which are secured one toeach of the arms 7 the lower ends thereof being free and bent inwardlyso that they normally extend through openings 17 in the body portion ofthe contact or combing members, as well as through openings in the arms7 thus retaining these elements fixed with respect to each other.

Finally it will be noted, reference being had to Figs. 1 and 8 that alatch is provided; This latch includes two major parts, one of which isassociated with each of the legs 7 and adjacent the outer ends thereof.Thus a striker 18 formed with an inclined forward edge is provided thebody of the striker having an opening through which the end of the latch20 may project, it being noted that I preferably associate stops 21 forthe latter member which is pivotally secured to the second leg.

Thus it will be seen primarily that the contact members comprising thecombs may readily be detached from or associated with the legs of themember by means of the improved construction provided. Further thedevice may be rigidly carried with the latch parts engaged as at Fig. 1and may be inserted in this manner into the flue to be cleaned. Thelatch may now be opened either by jerking the device by means of the atendency for the arms 7 to spread cable to which it is associated, or byany other suitable expedient, and it will be appreciated that. upon thedevice being drawn through the flue that by virtue of the spring andtoggle construction that the contact members will press intimatelyagainst the faces of the flue thus thoroughly cleaning the same.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that all of the objects setforth in the preamble of this specification have been accomplished, andit will further be appreciated that numerous modifications of structuremight readily be resorted to without in the least departing from thescope of my claims.

hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is asfollows 1. A fine cleaner, including a pair of arms hingedly securedtogether adjacent one of their vends, a pair of yoke links pivotallysecured together at one of their ends'and being pivotally attached tothe inner faces of said arms, and a spring extending between the pointof pivotal connection of said yoke links one to the other, and havingits opposite end secured to said arms at their point of hingedconnection, one with the other, and fine cleaning means secured to theouter ends of said arms.

2. A flue cleaner, including a pair of arms hingedly secured togetheradjacent one of their ends, means for expanding said arms, fluecontacting means each including a body portion, means adapted to engagethe flue adjacent one of the ends of said body portion, the bodyportions of said flue contacting means being adapted to be secured tosaid arms adjacent their ends, and to form a continuation of the same, alatch and a striker being secured one to each of the arms and to theinner faces thereof, and being adapted to cooperate to retain the armsin contracted position.

3. A flue cleaner, including a pair of arms hingedly secured togetheradjacent one of their ends, means for expanding said arms, fluecontacting means each including a body portion and means adapted toengage the flue adjacent one of the ends of said body portion, the bodyportions of said flue contacting means being each provided with anopening, a springsecured to the exterior face of each of said arms, andterminating in an inwardly extending lower end portion adapted toproject through the opening in the body portion, and fine contactingmeans for retaining the latter in applied osition.

WENCIL NEGHV LLE.

